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Deals and People January 8, 2026
NEPC Names Mikaylee O’Connor Partner, DC Team Leader
O’Connor succeeds Bill Ryan, who on January 5 became the Carlyle Group’s managing director and head of retirement solutions.
Reported by Emily Boyle
Mikaylee O’Connor
NEPC LLC promoted Mikaylee O’Connor to partner and defined contribution team leader, from principal and head of DC solutions, the firm confirmed by email.
O’Connor succeeds Bill Ryan, who on December 12, 2025, departed the role ahead of joining Carlyle Group as managing director and head of retirement solutions.
O’Connor joined NEPC in 2024 as principal and head of DC solutions. She now leads NEPC’s DC business and oversees research, data analytics and solutions across areas including target-date funds, managed accounts and retirement income.
“Mikaylee’s leadership, industry expertise and thoughtful vision for the future of the practice reflects our commitment to serving the evolving needs of our clients,” a spokesperson for NEPC wrote in a statement to PLANSPONSOR.
Before joining NEPC, O’Connor was a principal and senior DC strategist on PGIM’s DC solutions team, where she worked with plan sponsors on DC plan design; investment structure and implementation; regulatory matters; and industry best practices. Earlier in her career, she led RVK Inc.’s DC practice.
O’Connor serves as treasurer and executive committee member of the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association and previously served as a legislative committee member for the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators. She did not respond to requests for comment about her new position.